Kentucky Legislature

A Kentucky senator has introduced a resolution recognizing pornography as a “public health crisis.” The resolution wording, brought by Greensburg Senator David Givens, also acknowledges the need for education on the harmful effects of pornography.

Advocates for mentally ill in Kentucky are lobbying to make those with serious mental illness ineligible for the death penalty. Kentucky representatives for the National Alliance on Mental Illness staged a rally Thursday in Frankfort.

Another weekly news conference on a proposed dollar increase in the state’s cigarette tax was held Thursday at the state capitol. The Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky has been sponsoring a series of events, designed to raise awareness about the tax proposal. Speakers this week talked about the high percentage of people with mental illness who smoke.

Ramona Johnson is CEO of Bridgehaven Mental Health Services in Louisville. “Helping them to break that addiction and stop smoking then gives them some disposable income that they’ve not had before,” said Johnson.

A Kentucky House panel has reviewed state tax credits tied to private investments for businesses in the Commonwealth. A leading state economic official also spoke of future business growth in eastern Kentucky.

The agenda item pointed to discussion about the so called “angel” investor program, and modifications found in legislation filed this session.

Legislation focusing on slowing gang recruitment across Kentucky got widespread support in a House committee Wednesday. It calls for tougher penalties and longer sentences for those convicted of crimes tied to gangs.

Lexington Representative Robert Benvenuti calls gang-related activities the “most critical public protection issue facing the state today.” Todd Phillips works in Lexington’s police gang unit. “It allows us to have the opportunity to have something with more teeth when we go after those gang members that are the most serious and most involved,” said Phillips

Legislation that aims to help natural hair braiders in Kentucky has won the support of both Houses of the state General Assembly. The legislature Monday easily approved a measure that would exempt hair braiders from cosmetology regulations.

The status of a portion of state funding for Kentucky students accepted into Auburn University's College of Veterinary Medicine is in limbo. The commonwealth is under agreement with the Alabama school to allow Kentucky students accepted into the veterinary program to pay in-state tuition, with Kentucky picking up the difference.

Governor Bevin’s budget includes money to assist with tuition costs for 22 incoming students, leaving 16 openings unfunded. However, the House approved budget restored funding for the remaining spots.

Kentucky firefighters are seeking legislative approval to include certain cancers as cause for issuing death benefits to surviving family members. The measure, which allows for an $80,000 death benefit from the state, passed out of a Senate committee last week.

Legislation to prohibit localities from banning certain dog breeds is under review in the Kentucky Senate. The measure got the backing of the Senate Agriculture Committee last week. Lee Greenwood with Best Friends Animal Society says it’s a property rights issue. “The science is pretty clear, as we said, there really is no connection between breed and a dog’s propensity for acting in one way or another,” said Greenwood.

Greenwood says any type of dog can be dangerous and communities should make laws that focus on the behavior of every dog, not one particular breed.

A revision in Kentucky law related to the disposal of mustard and nerve agent munitions at the Blue Grass Army Depot is being sought in Frankfort. Members of the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee unanimously approved the reclassification of secondary waste Wednesday.

Minors would be prohibited from using tanning beds in Kentucky under a bill heading to the House floor. The measure passed out of the House Health and Welfare Committee Thursday. Testifying in support of the bill was Deputy Commissioner of Public Health, Dr. Connie White. “We used to never see melanoma in someone before they were 50 because it took you 50 years of ultra violet exposure before this happened,” White said. “And as tanning beds have increased in use, that’s when we starting seeing that spike.”

Legislation requiring medical review panels for all cases of doctor negligence in Kentucky is again headed to the full senate. The measure passed out of the Health and Welfare Committee Wednesday. Sponsor Ralph Alvarado says three doctors would form a review panel to make a non-binding determination. “I know from my training, I know how physicians are," Alvarado said. "We are brutally honest. I’ve reviewed cases of nursing homes where they didn’t do anything wrong, but the doctor did and I exposed that information.”

Governor Bevin’s first budget plan calls for cuts to state cabinets and higher ed by 9% each over the next two years. The proposal caught Eastern Kentucky University President Michael Benson a bit off guard. “Well I think we’re all kind of stunned," Benson said. "We had heard a cut was coming, but nothing to the magnitude of what we heard tonight."

Two bills before the Kentucky House of Representatives would change the way the state taxes coal that’s left in the ground. They would give exemptions to mineral rights owners if the coal isn’t going to be mined soon.

This “unmined minerals tax” adds up to a substantial amount: in 2014, Kentucky collected more than $39 million. Most of that—$34 million—went to the individual counties where the minerals are. The remainder went to the state.

The 2016 Kentucky General Assembly session is underway in Frankfort. Senate majority leaders say they will unveil their legislative agenda Wednesday.

Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer says priority bills are likely to focus on issues such as right to work, medical review of malpractice claims, repealing prevailing wage, and religious freedom. "It’s going to look very similar to the priority list that we’ve passed the last several years and very similar to the campaign platform that Governor Bevin ran on last fall,” said Thayer.

Funding for the state's pension system, charter schools, healthcare, and the budget are all topics for this year's session of the General Assembly. On this week's Eastern Standard we'll be discussing the upcoming session of the Kentucky General Assembly.

Guests for this week's program include:

Jack Brammer of the Lexington Herald Leader.

Stu Johnson from our very own WEKU newsroom.

and Jason Bailey Executive Director of the Kentucky Center for Economic Development.

Kentucky motorists could soon see more electronic LED billboards along area roads. The Legislative Transportation Committee on Thursday reviewed an administrative regulation on the matter. That was the last step before it officially became effective. It sets a policy for erecting electronic billboards, including provisions for cutting vegetation around the signs.

House Speaker Greg Stumbo will propose a constitutional amendment that would allow as many as seven casinos to open in Kentucky, with tax revenue from the businesses dedicated to public education, boosting the racing industry and shoring up the state’s ailing retirement system.

Under the proposal, the casinos would be operated by private entities and overseen by the Kentucky Lottery. They would be located in each of the state’s six congressional districts, plus one “at large” casino.

What is Kentucky’s leading export industry? If I told you that it’s manufacturers of products for the aviation and aerospace industry, would you be surprised? In 2014, Kentucky Aerospace exports quietly surpassed far better known industries such as automotive and bourbon. Robert Riggs is founder and current board member of the Kentucky Aviation Association. He spoke with Tom Martin.

After years of debate in Frankfort, the state legislature has approved a measure to add civil protections for dating couples. The legislation has passed in the Democratic House numerous times, but fallen short in the Republican led Senate. Louisville Representative Joni Jenkins, who worked at the Center for Women and Families for a decade, called the passage a 'long time coming.' "I know that this is gonna be a great tool for especially college campuses, whereas none of those protections would have applied to folks,” said Jenkins.

The Kentucky legislature is working to keep up with relatively new on-line ride-sharing services. The House Transportation Committee Tuesday approved a Senate measure which impacts the ride-sharing companies Lyft and Uber.

The bill's supporters say it serves to protect riders and company drivers by guaranteeing adequate insurance coverage. Oldham County Senator Ernie Harris is sponsoring the bill. "It clears the way for them to continue to operate and be regulated and have a level playing field with regard to insurance requirements," said Harris.

Leaders of both houses of the Kentucky general assembly remain committed to passage of legislation to address heroin problems. House Speaker Greg Stumbo and Senate President Robert Stivers appeared Thursday on WEKU's Eastern Standard program. Both men are confident that a heroin bill will be passed this session.

Efforts to pass heroin legislation last spring fell apart at the end of the session. Neither leader is saying when final approval might come during the current session.

Families who've lost loved ones to heroin addiction were among the attendees Tuesday for the opening of the 2015 session of the Kentucky General Assembly. Governor Steve Beshear assured them something will be done to address the state's drug epidemic.